Wednesday, August 09, 2006

Not just for Ned Lamont, who edged out incumbent Senator Joe Lieberman, but for the democratic process.

Lamont should represent the Democrats of Connecticut in the general election. The Democratic voters have spoken.

Ranking officials in the national Democratic Party should endorse him (as they are eagerly doing) as the winner of the primary. What's the point of the Party if they do otherwise?

Lieberman, if he wants to (and he apparently does), should file papers to run as an Independent in that general election. He's got a record to run on. Why not let all of the voters of Connecticut, whom he has served for three terms, have the chance to vote on his bid to continue?

Daniel Gross notes that "Lieberman did quite well in blue-collar, working-class redoubts like Bridgeport, East Hartford, Norwich, and Waterbury." If he can hold them, and add to them the Indpendent and Republican neighbors of the Democrats in the higher-income areas that went for Lamont, then I like his chances. Given the three choices, if I lived in CT and held my same political views, I'd opt for Lieberman over the other two. See this report (H/T Joe) for similar optimism about Lieberman's chances.

It is interesting to think about what it would be like for Lieberman in the Senate if he wins in November as an Independent. I presume that he will still caucus with the Democrats, but would they strip him of his leadership positions for breaking with the Party (for example, as Ranking Member of Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee)? Or would the Republicans seek to lure him to their caucus with the promise of some committee chairmanship, if they retain control of the Senate?

About Me

I am a Professor of Economics and the Director of the Nelson A. Rockefeller Center at Dartmouth College. I am on the board of Ledyard Financial Group (LFGP) and currently serve on the Census Scientific Advisory Committee. I blog about economics, politics, and current events at http://samwick.blogspot.com. The opinions expressed here, there, and everywhere do not necessarily reflect the views of Dartmouth College or any other institution with which I am affiliated.

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